Will God Judge Those He Loves?

 

There are a lot of people who are making grave mistakes when looking at Bible prophecy, and that is replacement theology, which is taking Israel and replacing it with the church. That is so wrong on many levels and does a great disservice to the Bible. People think that the church is going to be destroyed during the Tribulation period. Yet Jesus said, "that the gates of hell will not prevail against My church." The church is not present during the Tribulation period. What is happening is that we have the 7 year Tribulation period in which God is focusing on Israel.

Daniel 7:21 ~ "As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them,"

God gives power to the Antichrist to destroy or devastate God's people, predominantly the Jews and secondary those to come to faith by virtue of the ministry of the born again Jews during the Tribulation period. We always want to read the Bible for what it says, don't read stuff into the Bible, let the Bible read its stuff into you. Don't let people convince you that the Bible isn't really saying what it is saying. It means exactly what it says. Let the Bible be the commentary on the Bible.

Yesterday we began to study sack cloth ministry and today we continue to with in regards to it meaning judgment and grace. Even Jesus had a sack cloth ministry. Jesus was ministering and a bunch of Pharisees, professional sin sniffers and fault finders and legalists, and they brought a woman to Jesus' feet and threw her down in front of Him, who they caught in the very act of adultery. They turned to Jesus and said, "Moses said she should be stoned for committing adultery, what do you say? For we have caught her in the very act?"

The Bible doesn't say what I am about to say, but I wish it did. I wish Jesus would have said, "What were you doing watching?" "We caught her in the very act, I mean, we were walking by..." Jesus said, "He who is without sin, cast the first stone." No one stepped forward. Then He began to write in the sand remember? It says that they were convicted from the oldest on down to the youngest. Why? What does an older person have over a younger person? They lived longer. The longer you live the more you have opportunities to sin. The oldest left first,  because they lived longer and had racked up more sin, and even though the Bible doesn't say what He wrote the Old Testament says, "I have written their sins in the dust." I believe that Jesus was writing with the finger of God, who was the Son of God, writing in the dust, looking up to see who he was looking at and writing down all the sins that person committed before moving on to the next one. I believe He wrote their sins in the dirt and they saw what He had written, were convicted and walked away, the oldest to the youngest. Now that is judgment! Sack cloth!

Jesus turns to the woman and asks, "Woman, where are your accusers?" She was smart, remember what she said, "Lord, I have none." Did she not have accusers? Yes, but they were not present. They left! Can people accuse you of things? Can people accuse you of things that are true? Yes all of us! Where are they? You might say, "They are breathing down my neck right now!" Where are they before the presence of God? What is one of Satan's natures? He is before the throne of God accusing us day and night. God doesn't hear it when we are washed in Christ. I'm hidden in Christ!

Now that the woman's accusers were gone, He didn't say she didn't have any, Jesus said, "I do not accuse you." When God says that, you are free! Are you free? Is your conscience clear? Do you know that if you are a Christian right now, God says I do not accuse you between you and I is an interesting filter and that filter is My Son, Jesus Christ! You are washed in the blood as long as you continue to put your faith in Him. That is good news! The world does not like this because of what it implies. God's final witness to the world is a witness that is not acceptable to everyone because the message of God to man is divisive.

You know that to be true because the minute you give your life to God and rush home to tell others about it, they don't receive it well. There are some that when they give their lives to Jesus, found that their parents threw them out of the house. Jesus has said, "Don't think that I have come to bring peace, I've come to bring a sword. That a man in his own home will be divided against his wife, or a child against a parent." Jesus isn't into home wrecking. Jesus knows that within the same house if you have someone who believes and someone who doesn't, there will be division. That is true in many of our homes.

Revelation 11:7 ~ "Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them."

Remember how we have learned that you will never understand the Book of Revelation without reading the Old Testament? Where is this answered in the Old Testament? Daniel 7, specifically verse 21.

Daniel 7:21 ~ "As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them,"

God will allow the beast, (the Antichrist) to kill the two witnesses, or believers in God during the Tribulation period. Those of you that are born again Christians, when the rapture happens, you will be taken directly to heaven. You will not be here when this happens. Those who come to Christ during the Tribulation period are called Tribulation saints. You and I right now are called to live for Christ, and it is not easy. The Tribulation believers will not live for Christ, they will die for Christ. I suggest making the decision now! Daniel 7 is the key to understanding Revelation 11. Daniel 7 is one of the most remarkable passages of Scripture and a must for understanding Bible prophecy. Why? Who is the beast? He ascends out of the bottomless pit or the Abyss and that has a connection with Satan. It is connected with demons, and it is where an eternity in hell is deposited.

Whoever it is that ascends out of the bottomless pit we have an apparent problem. If we keep studying, our problem will go away. Why? This guy is a human being. He is human. So how does he ascend out of the bottomless pit where demons come from? The question we want to ask is what does the Bible say about his life? That will answer this apparent dilemma. First of all the Bible in Daniel 7, Daniel 2, and Daniel 11, teaches us about four world governing empires, that God mentions. It is all historic until the very end.

So God says in the Book of Daniel, world governing empire number 1, under the governing powers of Nebuchadnezzar was the Babylonian empire. God says so and calls it by name.

Number 2, the Medo-Persian Empire, under Darius and Sirus.

The third empire was under the rule of Alexander the Great, the Grecian Empire.

The fourth empire is a very interesting empire. The Bible says the fourth empire is the Roman empire, but unlike the first three, the Babylonian, Medo-Perisan and Grecian empires were all defeated by invading armies. The Roman empire was never defeated by an invading army. The Roman empire grew so massive that it began to break up. No one ever conquered it. Technically according to the historian rule book, it has never gone away. Its like in a coma or hibernating. The Bible says that in the last days out of the Roman Empire, when it broke up formed two sections, the eastern and western sections, and as the Bible describes its legs going down, and that in the it will be reassembled as toes in the end. This is key, because the Bible tells us that out of the toes, out of the kingdoms, that came out of the Ancient Roman empire, a ruler will emerge. Daniel and Revelation calls him the beast. You know him even if you are not a Christian as Mr. 666.

Don't confuse yourself when looking at this and see this guy coming out of various areas. in Revelation 13:1, that John saw him come up out of the sea and the sea were the nations of the world. Yet in Revelation 11 it says that he came up out of the bottomless pit. How does that happen if he is just a man? This is where it gets technical. We know he is empowered by demons, and he is possessed by Satan. Did you see John freaking out about the introduction of the beast? When John is confused, he asks a question in the Book of Revelation. He will ask, "What is the meaning of this or what are these things?" He doesn't say anything here. When the beast is introduced like it is to you and I in this study right now, there is no debate from John. The answer is so simple.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem in Matthew 23 beginning in verse 37, and into chapter 24 of Matthew,

Matthew 23:37-39 ~ "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

Matthew 24:15 ~ "So when you see standing in the holy place 'abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel - let the reader understand - then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains."

When you see the Antichrist, standing in the Temple, where he ought not to be, run for your lives. Jesus knew Daniel 9 and so did the Jews, as well as John. He knew Daniel 7, Daniel 2 and Daniel 11. All the Jews know Daniel. It is the key to understanding Bible prophecy. Do you see how wonderfully technical this is? John didn't question the introduction of the beast, because he already knew who the beast was. The beast would come bringing in the last world governing empire that would subdue God's people, based upon the Book of Daniel. Specifically Daniel 7:21.

Daniel 7:21 ~ "As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them,"

God will grant the Antichrist power to destroy and subdue the saints, until the Ancient of Days is seated and there shall be judgment in favor of the saints. This is the introduction to the Second Coming of Christ. So we must know Daniel. John did. This is why the beast is totally normal thinking for him. Guess what Christians have always referred the emperor of Rome as? The beast!

Daniel 9:26 ~ "the prince who is to come." 

We know that the beast will make war with them, overpower them and kill them. So this man has been granted authority to do such things. The reason this witness is not acceptable to everyone is that this message is convicting.

Revelation 11:8 ~ "Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called the city of Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified."

Where was our Lord crucified? Jerusalem. How then can it be called Sodom and Egypt? Throughout all of history whenever people have rejected God, judgment always follows. God is so patient right now but it will not always be the case. When Israel went astray, how did God judge Israel? He sent an unbelieving pagan nation against them. There is a pagan cult that is beginning to wreck havoc on our nation, the cult of Islam. God knew about 9/11. Why didn't He stop it? As tragic as the death of those people were, as a nation as a whole, shouldn't worse things happen to us for what we have done? Did you know that we are the number 1 pornographic producing nation in the world? In the nation where it is the biggest producing nation, California is where it takes place! In California, it's in LA County. It's in the cities of Northridge, Hollywood and Burbank. God says I won't stand for it. God's not asking for your opinion or mine. He won't stand for it. He says I am holy and I have to do this. I am wondering what is holding back God from moving the Mojave Desert 25 feet to the north right now? So while people in California are sitting back enjoying the pornography and loving it, a great earthquake comes and now all of a sudden they want someone to pray. What is God's response? 

Isaiah 59:2 ~ "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; you sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." 

That is this nation is it not? It will happen. It's coming. I just hope as Christians, He comes for us first. And if he doesn't, "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." If we live, we live for Christ, either way it's a win-win thing for us. Will God will judge people that He loves? God has promised that if you are His child, He will chastise you. He will punish us for our wrongs. If God loves America, despite being founded on Christian principles, He will discipline us for our wrongs. It's called national judgment. He does this to nations. He promises to do this to nations. He will do it to America. He does it to His children.

The Bible says if He doesn't do it to His children, if He doesn't punish you for your wrong, I'm not talking about your sins, Jesus paid the price for our sins at the cross. Now that you're a Christian and you belong to God. If you go do something dumb against God and your backsliding away from Him,

Galatians 6:7 ~"Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."

God will discipline us because we do the wrong things. Jerusalem, Israel had done the wrong thing. The 7 year Tribulation period is God focusing on the nation of Israel, and He is dealing with them on national judgment, and that judgment will bring them to a place of repentance. This is how God works. It's fundamental, it's historical, it's biblical, it is what we are observing here.

Are You a Sinner or a Transgressor?

We have been studying the Book of Revelation and come to another pause in the chronology of the story of God's judgment as it is being poured out upon a Christ-rejecting world. God does this to infuse hope into us at this point because had He not, we might forget that God is merciful, He is loving and He is kind despite the wrath being unleashed. He reminds us that the victory has already been decided by the time we get to Revelation 10:1 to Revelation 11:14, in what is known as a parenthetical pause or insert. A pause button or interlude in the midst of what has been happening and from this point in our study, we know that God has issued a promise that there will be no more delay in dispensing forth His judgment upon the earth.

If you were to read the Book of Revelation from the beginning to this point in our study, you might find yourself a bit mixed up without understand what is happening and why it is happening through a parenthetical insert at this point. It would make sense to understand that confusion as I did when I read through Revelation the first time, without really studying the context and content of what is happening. Now it begins to make sense a bit more and I hope it is for you as well.

Anytime in Bible doctrine, before God sends judgment, He has always sent messengers or an announcement before it happens. He always gives people an opportunity to repent before it happens. I believe that God is sending that message to all of us today, especially in America to turn back to Him and repent of its evil, the church for its laziness, nationwide America is asleep spiritually, and we need to wake up before its too late. We see Christianity under attack like never before, from marriage, to sexual orientation, to privacy issues, in every facet of our lives. It is fine for other religions to stand for what they believe but no where is there more intolerance than when it comes from a Christian perspective. Don't think it will stop there. It will come to your door. Down south, the ACLU recently won a battle to prevent public baptisms from taking place in a city park, and even now in California the debate is on for the issue of privacy in public restrooms, showers and locker rooms to keep boys on their side and girls on their side, despite what gender they might identify with. I can't even imagine how this would even be an issue, but it is. The fight is far from being over. We, as a body of believers, need to stand up, wake up and get to work. Our very rights and freedoms are on the line and I believe this is God's chance for believers to stand up for what this country was founded on.

We know as we remember at the beginning of this chapter that there is a debate among scholars on who this mighty angel is in the first verse. Some commentaries would argue that it is Jesus, while still others believe it to be Michael, the archangel. We are missing the point however, the message or the origin of the message comes from heaven. This messenger is of divine origin. Who it is is irrelevant, it is the origin of the message that is important.

We know based on the description found in Revelation 10 about the appearance of this mighty angel that this is where so many scholars believe that it is Jesus. His face like the sun, his legs like fiery pillars, robed in a cloud with a rainbow above his head. No one knows the answer for sure. When God desires to speak to man, He speaks from above. We saw that through the prophets and the fathers of the faith before us. We saw it when Jesus was baptized and the Holy Spirit came down and the Father spoke from above. We know that when Jesus was born, the angels descended from heaven and that they spoke.

Not only does the angel have a divine description, he also has a divine duty. Before he speaks his message, we have to note his posture. He puts one foot on the land and one foot on the sea, holds his hand up to heaven and swears an oath unto God. We know that only God can keep His oaths, man is not able. We need God's help to remember our promises we make to Him. We need to be dependent on The Promise Keeper. When God promises something, He will always keep His Word. When God swears an oath, you know that He will keep it. The angel is standing in a position of great authority.

We learn that what John sees and hears at this point in Revelation, he is commanded not to write down or speak of. We will not know what this means, what he heard. Despite the many commentaries written about what they think it might be, the only ones who will know for certain what it is, are those living on the earth during the final years of the Tribulation Period. It's not for us to know. We know that this messenger swears on oath on a divine promise from verses 5-8 in Revelation.

Revelation 10:5-7 ~ "Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. And he swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets."

God never changes. Despite what is written in the Bible, we can rely on the things we read and rest in the assurance that God won't change. He remains consistent.

Hebrews 6:17-18 ~ "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged."

Isn't it wonderful the know what our hope is anchored to? What hope does the world have and to what is it anchored to? People might place their hopes in the stock market, that it will continue to rise, but we all know it won't stay that way. People might hope that despite all their planning that they will stay healthy, but we know at some point, despite all their efforts, they will die one day. Know this that one day all the things of the earth will end eventually.

As a Christian, we don't have to hope as the world does. Our hope is sustained in two unchangeable things, that God the Father and God the Son, swore an oath to save me. That will NOT be broken. Even though I am a sinner, I still have hope in eternity. Jesus Christ paid the price. I couldn't afford the ticket. I get to go, because He said so. Don't take that as arrogant, because it is not about what we can do to get us there, it is all about what Jesus did. I can't save myself, Jesus did that for me. This is why I can be assured that won't hope it will be alright in the end, I know it will be alright in the end. My hope is guaranteed on the basis of the cross, the resurrection, the fact that He ascended back up into heaven, that the Holy Spirit arrived on the day of Pentecost to assure us that Christ arrived in heaven, remember He said when He got there, He would send us the promise of the Father. If you're a Christian, we know that the Holy Spirit lives inside our heart.

If Christ comes back to day to rapture the church or I die today, I know I am going to heaven. I have that 100% assurance by my faith in Jesus. Now let us understand the "mystery of God."

Colossians 2:1-2 ~ " I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ,"

It's that Jesus Christ, alone, saves us.

Ephesians 2:5-9 ~ "made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."

Notice it doesn't say sin? It says transgressions. If sin is bad, transgressions is worse if you could place a meter on it. Sin in the Greek, means to miss the mark. It's an archery term taken from the Olympics. When he pulled out his arrow and missed the target, he was called a sinner. Back then, no one got offended and went back home. He simply didn't hit the target, he missed the mark. Now when we think we are doing things our way, living life to the best of our own expectations, doing what we think God wants, it is the Holy Spirit who calls out to us, "Sinner!" We might say we will pray more, attend church more, live up to the 10 Commandments better, but each time, the Holy Spirit calls out to us, "Sinner!"

For a transgressor, it is like this, God draws a line in the sand, God hands us His Bible and tells us for example, not to have sex before marriage. It will mess you up both spiritually and physically. We see the line in the sand, we know that it was placed there by God for our own benefit because He knows what is best for us, and we take our own will into consideration and cross the line, willfully knowing what you are doing is wrong, but you do it anyway. It's not that you missed the mark, you saw the line, knowing what it meant, and basically said, "I don't care," and walk over it anyway. Your will not God's. That is transgression.

Jesus died for us even when we were transgressors, 2000 years ago. For both sinners and transgressors alike. The Old Testament called transgressions "sins of the High Hands," or to boldly sin against God. You know what you are doing is wrong. It's our sin nature and we are rebels without God's control in our lives. We love to admit that we are sinners, but I wonder how many of us would admit that we are transgressors. We demand our own way and that is the problem with the world today.